Continuing to look at the third basemen in the Pirates' minor league organization:

Elevys Gonzalez --  Bats Both / Throws R,  5' 11",  175 lb
Gonzalez is a Venezuelan native who made some big improvements in 2010.  He appeared to be headed for a return trip to State College to begin the season (he'd played 13 games there in 2009), but due to injuries further up the ladder, Gonzalez was instead assigned to A level West Virginia in May.  He embraced the challenge, hitting .303 in 9 games there, with a homer and 2 RBI.  He dropped down to .195 in June, but by the end of the month, he was getting more playing time, and in July he had the average back up to .300, with 7 RBI.  At first Gonzalez was splitting his playing time between second base, third base, and shortstop, functioning as the Power's utility infielder.  But by August, he was playing regularly at third base, as Jesus Brito struggled defensively there.  More time on the field translated to more plate appearances and better hitting for Gonzalez -- .289 with 2 homers and 16 RBI in August.  He finished the season with a flourish at the plate, with 3 homers in the last 5 games, and 3 hits in the last game.  Overall for the season, Gonzalez hit a solid .275, with 9 doubles, 4 triples, 6 homers, and 31 RBI.  The 21-year-old should be ready for A+ Bradenton for 2011, where he will likely play more third base, but also spend some time at second and short.

Twins  4,  Pirates  2
The Pirates fell to a 3-3 record in Grapefruit League play this afternoon at McKechnie field.  Both teams posted 9 hits, but the Twins did a better job of pushing runs across.  Ross Ohlendorf made the start and was charged with the loss, but the only run he gave up was unearned, and 4 of the 5 outs he recorded were strikeouts.  The run came in the top of the 1st, on a walk, a passed ball, and an RBI double.  Ohlendorf got the first two outs in the top of the 2nd, then gave up a single, and by then he had reached his pitch limit.  Mike Dubee, up from minor league camp, finished the inning for Ohlendorf, blowing three pitches past Jason Repko for a strikeout.  Tony Watson pitched the 3rd inning, and gave up a run on a walk and an RBI double.  

The Pirates got one run back in the bottom of the 5th.  RF Andrew Lambo started the rally with a ground rule double down the left field line, and then he scored on LF Jose Tabata's single up the middle.  Mike Crotta pitched 2 scoreless innings, working around a hit in each (4th and 5th).   Joel Hanrahan took over for the 6th.  The first batter he faced, 2B Luke Hughes, drove a 3-2 pitch over the left field wall to give the Twins a 3-1 lead.  After the homer, Hanrahan got two outs, then loaded the bases with a walk and two singles.  Hanrahan was relieved by another minor league pitcher, Tom Boleska, who needed just one pitch to end the inning with a fly out, leaving all three runners stranded.  

Jose Veras pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the 8th for the Pirates.  Justin Thomas gave up another unearned run in the top of the 8th.  With one out, a fly ball to center field should have been either an out or a harmless single, but CF Gorkys Hernandez had trouble with the windy conditions.  He dropped the ball, then when he tried to pick it up off the ground, he dropped it twice more.  That allowed the runner to reach third base (3-base error).  An RBI single brought him in from third base.  Chris Leroux finished things up by retiring the side in the top of the 9th.  The Pirates rallied again in the bottom of the 9th.  With one out, DH Steve Pearce lifted a double into center field.  C Dusty Brown lined a single into right field, plating Pearce from second base.  Pedro Ciriaco pinch-ran for Brown, and he reached second base on RF Starling Marte's ground out, but another ground out by LF Alex Presley ended the game.  Marte had singled in the 7th inning, but was out at second on a force play.

Also getting into the game:  SS Corey Wimberly, SS Chase d'Arnaud, 3B Garrett Atkins,  2B Brian Friday, and 1B Josh Fields. 

Moving across the infield to look at some of the third basemen in the Pirates' organization:

Chase Lyles  --  R/R,  6' 2",  210 lb
Lyles was chosen by the Pirates in the 32nd round of the 2010 draft.  He reported to State College, where he played third base and DH-ed (plus one game at shortstop).  Lyles started on a tear, hitting .327 with 2 homers and 11 RBI in 13 games in June.  He dropped off in July though, with a .204 average but two more homers and another 13 RBI.  August was a little better, at .217, another 2 homers, and 9 RBI in 14 games.  Lyles did have a nice last week of the season, going 5-for-17 (.294).  All that combined to give him a .241 average with 6 homers and 33 RBI for the season.  Lyles struck out 34 times and walked 24 times, neither really high or really low.  The 24-year-old should be able to move up to West Virginia for 2011.  He's even a little bit older for that level -- he's going to need to show the Pirates some improvement this season so that he can keep moving up.  

Eric Avila  --  R/R,  6' 1",  165 lb
The 20-year-old Dominican has been in the Pirates' organization for four years, with three of those spent in the Dominican Summer League.  By his third season there, he'd boosted his batting average to .315 with 9 homers, though he was getting older for that league.  Avila made his US debut with the GCL Pirates in 2010, where he played for the whole season.  In 54 games, he hit a solid .277 and showed some power:  15 doubles, a triple, 7 homers, and 29 RBI.  Those 7 homers put him into a tie for the GCL home run leader, and he was also tied for second in the league in doubles.  His average tailed off a bit in August, when he dropped to a .239 average, though he still drove in 10 runs and had 2 homers.  Avila played all but two of his games last season at third base, but he has played some short and second base in the DSL.  Avila could be placed at either State College or West Virginia for 2011.  Lyles and Kelson Brown (who is listed as a shortstop, but also played third last year) will probably have priority at West Virginia, so that might squeeze Avila to State College.
 

Pirates  2,  Yankees  0

Six Pirate pitchers combined to shut out the Yankees at McKechnie Field this afternoon.  James McDonald and Aaron Thompson each pitched 2 scoreless innings, and each allowed 2 hits.  That was all the hits the Yankees could get.  Daniel McCutchen pitched 2 innings, retiring 6 batters in order, including 2 strikeouts.  Chris Resop, Ramon Aguero, and Daniel Moskos  all contributed one scoreless and hitless inning, and Moskos earned the save.  

The Pirates posted just 6 hits.  Two of those belonged to C Chris Snyder.  He singled to lead off the 3rd inning, but was caught trying to steal second base, then singled again to begin the 6th, and was replaced by pinch runner Jeremy Farrell.  2B Josh Rodriguez bunted Farrell to second base, and SS Pedro Ciriaco drove in the first run of the game with an RB double into left field.  The Pirates scored again in the 7th, when DH Garrett Jones opened the frame with a walk.  1B Steve Pearce bounced a ground-rule double over the left field wall, moving Jones to third base.  3B Josh Fields brought in Jones with a sacrifice fly.  

CF Alex Presley walked, singled, and was hit by a pitch in the game.  LF John Bowker also singled.  Also getting in the game:  CF Gorkys Hernandez, LF Miles Durham, RF Andrew Lambo, 1B Garrett Atkins, RF Matt Diaz, C Wyatt Toregas, 2B Brian Friday, and SS Corey Wimberly.  Doug Bernier, who played for the Indy Indians in 2010, got into the game for the Yankees.   




Other notes:
The Pirates have signed 3B Christian Colonel to a minor league contract.  Colonel was the Rockies' 5th round draft pick in 2003.  He has played all around the field, he has spent more time in the infield, and most of those at third base.  More about Colonel to come in the next few days.
Former Pirate farmhand C James Skelton (Bradenton 2010) signed with the Brewers.